Question

Reread lines 30–45. Gold and diamond mining is an important part of South Africa's economy. In the past, most mine workers were African men who left their families in rural areas and worked under brutal conditions for white bosses. Why does Gordimer mentions her house's location above a mine here? Discuss how Gordimer's inclusion of the description of the miners is also an explanation of why people are afraid in South African society.

Answer 1

Answer and Explanation:

1. She described that her house is above a mine to show that the infrastructure problems of the house and the fragility it presents is not the result of poor construction or poor quality materials, but of the hollow soil below the house, which was triggered by the excavation to find precious metals in the mine.

2. The miners' description, on the other hand, presents the precarious situation as they live. This description also shows the number of miners who were found dead because of working conditions, which shows that miners are oppressed and exploited, but because of the economic condition people are increasingly submitting to this job.